


New Kid in the Hall

by lisa912



Series: Peter Parker and His Half-Blood Family [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A little, Alternate Universe, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Cinnamon Roll Peter Parker, Friendship, Gen, Half-Siblings, Harley Keener & Peter Parker are Siblings, Harley Keener is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Harley Keener is a Good Bro, IronLad-Freeform, Irondad, Out of Character, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Post-Iron Man 3, Pre-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Protective Harley Keener, Sassy Peter Parker, past bullying, spiderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisa912/pseuds/lisa912
Summary: “Relax, it’s just another school,” Harley says next to him.Peter huffs.“I’m not anxious,” he shoots at Harley.OrIn which Peter transfers to a new school and sees some not-so-new face from his past.
Relationships: Harley Keener & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Peter Parker and His Half-Blood Family [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1430296
Comments: 11
Kudos: 296





	New Kid in the Hall

**Author's Note:**

> ...
> 
> Helloooo.... It's been quite a while... Again...
> 
> I'm learning that it becomes harder and harder for me to write. I really need to get my life sorted out if I'm to catch up on all the things that I have planned regarding this hobby of mine.. :\
> 
> Anyways, I hope everyone is doing okay in this hard times... Luckily I have been free from the effect COVID 19. I hope that this short story can provide you with some sort of entertainment.

Like father like son. This phrase is probably one of those that are used the most often to describe the Stark boys. But you have to admit that it can never be overused when it comes to the Starks.

There are many hints and traces of Tony Stark's apparently superior genes that his offspring had inherited. Putting aside all the infinite number of minor ones -- such as the unhealthy habit of staying up until late, the sassy snarks that always laced their voices, or their despise toward carrots -- one that shone the most was their high intelligence without a doubt. Tony Stark was one of the greatest geniuses of the century, if not the entirety of modern history. Harley Keener Stark was an engineer by nature. His potato gun series had long been the talk of the Stark family. And it didn't take long for Peter's level of intellect to come to the spotlight.

  
Peter had always had a fairly high interest and comprehension in science and related fields. Of course, his grades were all high in the overall range. It was just that he had an especially exceptional achievement in his education in science to the level of the public school curriculum not being able to cover it anymore. The only reason that he was attending an ordinary high school was that his foster parents just didn’t care enough to provide adequate support.

  
Thus, it wasn't surprising in any way when Peter spent most of his time in the lab area than any other part of the tower after moving in. There were many, many perks of having a billionaire superhero as father and guardian, such as no longer having to survive with minimal food in a growing teenage body, having a much softer bed with better quality pillow and cover, and being able to quit a crappy part-time job. Yet, the most exciting thing for Peter is now having a lab he could easily access whenever he wanted to. It was like he had found a playground that he never even imagined he needed.

  
Now that he was done working a diner job, he had a whole day to himself -- and the lab was an easy choice for him to use all the time he now has. In fact, if he was not sleeping or having meals, he could be found more often than not in a far inner corner of the workshop, quietly working on something while listening to music through his headphones.

  
"Even I can't stay in there that long," Harley said. He was sitting on the couch in the living area with his phone in his hands.

  
Peter was just walking out of the elevator, heading for the kitchen for a brief snack. He gave a shrug as he kept walking into the kitchen. It didn't take more than a few seconds for him to find a pack of Pringles and return to where Harley was playing his mobile game.

  
"How can you stay put in there for a whole day?"

Harley said without looking at him after Peter plopped down on the other side of the couch.  
Peter shrugged his shoulder once again as he opened the lid to the long can and poured out a couple of chips into his hand.

  
Harley was by then used to how "talkative" Peter is and thus didn't deem the lack of a verbal answer as a problem.

  
"What'cha working on in there?" He asked.

  
Peter was munching on the potato chips. As he did so, he seemed to be thinking about how he should answer.

  
"Just... stuff," he said.

  
Harley huffed. There was a hint of annoyance in his tone. Peter could see what was about to follow, so he added on.

  
"I don't really have something specific in mind. I'm just trying out different stuff."

  
He put another piece of his snack in his mouth and chewed.

  
"Like, trying out some of the equipment and system and... you know."

  
It was still not the amount of clarity that Harley was looking for, but he just let it go and didn't push further. Compared to the first few weeks, Peter was, surprisingly, starting to open up to him, albeit slowly.  
For a moment, only the sound of Harley tapping on the screen of his phone and of Peter eating his snack filled the large space of the penthouse.

  
"Hey," Harley said, seemingly still immersed in the gameplay.

  
"Hmm?" Peter responded with his mouth full.

  
"Get me the cheddar cheese flavored one, will you?"

  
Peter snorted.

  
"Get it yourself."

  
"I'm kinda busy, as you can see," Harley retorted.

  
"Riiiiiight," Peter dragged on dryly. He then started munching more loudly as if to annoy him purposefully.

  
"You little asshole," Harley spat.

  
"Who're you calling asshole? You're the one that's too lazy to move your ass yourself."

  
"Looks like somebody's swear jar will be full soon."

  
A new voice joined the discussion as Tony walked out of the elevator. He looked from one boy to another in acknowledgment.

  
"Luckily, we don't have a swear jar," Peter said.

  
"And we all know which one of us three will be filling it the most quickly," Harley deadpanned.

  
"Alright, you disrespectful smartasses," Tony said with a scoff. "What you boys been up to?"

  
"Trying to conquer whatever fake dynasties he's in," Peter answered.

  
"And you've been cooped up in the lab like you've got no life. Again," Harley threw at him. That was when he finally put away his phone and looked up.

  
"Well, you had me quit my job, so I got you to thank for that," Peter said.

  
Harley snorted. He reached out and grabbed the Pringles can Peter was holding and snatched it out.

  
"I was eating that!" Peter protested. "And you wanted the cheese one!"

  
Harley ignored and took several pieces out of the container.

  
"Well, you kindly declined to get me, so I'm taking yours. Don't you know that sharing is caring, dear brother?" He said in a mocking tone. "And about that job thing, you had to quit regardless and I made it happen, so yeah, you should be thankful about that."

  
"And it's about dinner time anyway, so how about you stop eating that?"

  
Tony, who had been watching the back-and-forth swiftly took the Pringles out of Harley's hand.

  
"I shouldn't have to tell teenage boys not to eat snacks before meals, should I?"

  
Harley sent an offended look at him.

  
"Not fair! I just started on those," He said. "And you can't possibly think you can stop us from eating whatever we like whenever we want."

  
"We are growing teenagers, after all," Peter added.

"We need all the food we can get to sustain ourselves."

  
"Says the one who rarely even finishes one full portion of every meal," Tony countered. "Pepper and Happy will be joining us for dinner, so you shouldn't think about stuffing your stomach with something else beforehand."

  
At that, Peter and Harley had no choice but to accept their fate.

  
"With that out of the way," Tony began as he put down the Pringles on the coffee table and sat down on the armchair next to the couch. The position of the furniture made him face Peter directly. "I need to have a word with you, Peter."

  
The sudden change in the tone, even though it was not quite big nor stark, made Peter nervous. He looked at Tony, trying to put down the mild anxiety that started to creep through his spine.

  
"We need to take you to Midtown for an exam next week," Tony said.

  
"Oh," was Peter's response as he let Tony's words sink in.

  
"Since it's a science-oriented school, they have their process of examining the students' capabilities when accepting them. You didn't go through that like the others, so if you are to transfer, you need to pass the exam," Tony explained.

  
"Uh... Okay," said Peter.

  
"Based on your knowledge, I don't think you'll have any problem," said Tony.

  
"Which means that it's probably your last chance if you want to bail out of going to the same school with me," Harley added with a smirk.

  
Peter gave a short snort but shrugs lightly. There was no reason for him not to go. It was his first and only choice when Tony offered to have him transferred to a science high school. Midtown School of Science and Technology was the local school that provided an advanced level of scientific education. It was the school Peter had wanted to go when he first learned about it in middle school but couldn’t afford. It also happened to be one that Harley was now attending and one that was more on the public level than one of those overly prestigious, snooty private schools.

  
"Nah, I'll be there to keep your spoiled ass in check," Peter smugly talked back.

  
True to his words, he now is on the subway train with Harley, heading for Midtown High. As expected, Peter passed the exam with no significant difficulty and it was soon decided that he is to start his new semester there.

  
The trip doesn't take more than half an hour. It would be much shorter if they let Tony let Happy drive them off, but Peter insisted that he take the "ordinary" method to get to school on the first day. Harley agreed that it would be better for Peter to familiarize himself with how to get to school on his own. Moreover, despite how Peter often teases Harley to be "spoiled", the older Stark boy does not like to show off what he can have so easily and, most importantly, unnecessarily.

  
Once they get off the subway, it is not a long walk until they come face to face with the gate. As the two of them take a step forward and pass through the open gate, Peter cannot help the pang of nervousness shooting through his body. It seems like the closer he gets to the school building, the more speed his heart gains. He tries his best not to show the uneasiness on his face and tries to quietly swallow the feeling down. Harley must have sensed the tension, for he gives a short glimpse at him and smirks.

  
“Relax,” he says. "You don't have to be anxious about it. It's just another school, you know."

  
Peter huffs.

  
“I’m not anxious,” he shoots at Harley.

  
"Uh-huh."

  
The way Harley mockingly hums matches the expression on his face which clearly shows that he is not convinced. Peter wants to slap him on the arm but his muscles don't seem to be under his control. Maybe he is a little anxious, but he has absolutely no will to admit it openly.

  
Harley keeps a smug face as he gives Peter a brief introduction about each part of the school. By the time they have finally entered the main building, Harley is in the middle of talking about extracurricular activities.

  
"Chemistry lab, robotics lab, and astronomy club, too. If you ask your teachers, they'll give you specifics on how to join them and everything. Or if you're interested in the decathlon team and the robotics lab, I can let the teacher know in advance."

  
"Right," Peter responds. He tries his best not to bump into the numerous students in the hallway or be drifted away among the crowd.

  
"You remember the schedule, right? We're going to our homeroom first, then to your classes."

  
"Yes, Harley," Peter answers, exasperation lacing his voice. "I'm not entirely new to this, you know."

  
Harley scoffs and shrugs his shoulders.

  
"Just making sure. You seem very tense. Just relax. It's the first day of a new year for all of us, anyway."  
Peter is about to return it with a comeback remark when someone stops the two of them with a wave of his arm.

  
"Hey, Harley," the boy says.

  
Peter turns his eyes to him and freezes. The other boy does the same, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping. Harley stops in the middle of greeting the boy and looks from one to the other.

  
"Peter Parker?" The boy blurts out in disbelief.

  
"Flash Thompson?" Peter does so, too.

  
Harley raises his eyebrows.

  
"What are you doing here?" Says Flash.

  
"I-- I, uh, transferred here," Peter answers, stuttering from the unexpected surprise.

  
"Transferred?" Flash repeats with both disbelief and a smidge of sneer mixed in his voice. He looks like he is trying to contain himself before Harley, but his old habit doesn't die quite easily. He scans Peter top to bottom with his eyes before continuing. "I guess you've moved to another home, then? Seeing that you now can afford to come here."

  
The clear presence of jeer in his tone is easily caught by Harley, for he starts to frown a little. Peter licks his lips and lets out a short sigh.

  
"Yeah, well," he says. "Something like that."

  
Although it is not strictly a secret to be kept no matter what, Peter still has issues discussing it -- he doesn't want to attract any kind of unnecessary attention.

  
"Well, good for you," Flash says. Unlike the words he is saying, the tone is highly cynical. "Although I'm not quite sure if you can really afford to attend here. Unless you want to bankrupt your foster parents. I hope your new home has the room to spare this much for you."

  
Peter almost rolls his eyes. Even after more than a year, Flash has not changed at all. Facing him in the new school, Peter feels like he is back in his middle school days. Flash had never truly intimidated or offended Peter, but the annoyance and irritation he caused used to tire him.

  
Thus, Peter decides not to further engage so that the little antic of Flash's is over soon as he usually did in the past. Harley, on the other hand, clearly has another idea.

  
"I was thinking of introducing him to you, Flash, but it seems like you guys already know each other," says Harley. And for some reason, Peter can hear the cold sarcasm that is so openly there. He is sure that Flash also can sense it.

  
Flash tries to school his expression as he casually (at least in his opinion) responds to Harley.

  
"Yeah, we went to the same middle school."

  
Harley takes a short side-glance at Peter before he answers.

  
"Well, he's my brother. He's attending Midtown from today."

  
The voice is so openly and exaggeratingly innocent that it feels more or less creepy -- like it is sending a deadly warning underneath.

  
Flash blinks. Then his face turns into a slight frown.

  
"Wait, 'brother'?"

  
He then looks at Peter with his eyes widened once again.

  
Harley gives a lopsided grin that does not reach his cold eyes.

  
"Yeah. Peter Parker Stark."

  
There is an extra emphasis on the last word. Peter internally sighs. He wonders if it is a good idea to make it known on the first day of school. Then again, the fact that Harley and Peter are Tony's children is not strictly a secret to be kept at all costs. In fact, Harley has already been known as a Stark for a while, and if he was to introduce Peter as his brother -- and Peter is quite sure that he will -- everyone is bound to notice anyway. Plus, the dumb look of pure shock on Flash's face makes it seem worth it. So he decides to play along just for a little bit.

  
"You know, I'm still not quite used to it," he says to Harley, ignoring how Flash is staring at him.

  
Harley responds casually.

  
"You should be. That is your name."

  
"And you're going to introduce me to everyone like this, right?"

  
"Was there ever any doubt?"

  
Peter rolls his eyes.

  
Meanwhile, Flash seems like he has recovered from the initial shock. He shakes his head and points at Peter.

  
"You- you're- you're his-"

  
Peter looks at him with an eyebrow raised.

  
"You-- you're-- you're Stark?"

  
Flash stutters. It looks like he cannot speak properly.

  
"Yeah, well," Peter shrugs. "I guess I am. I just found out about it."

  
"So I hope you guys can play nice," Harley says. "You're always nice to me, right, Flash?"

  
There is an edge that is as sharp as a blade hidden in between his words, along with a warning glare that is set straight at the said boy.

  
Flash can only look at both Harley and Peter with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what is happening. Harley shows no mercy as he puts a hand on Peter's shoulder.

  
"Well, we gotta go. But I'll see you later at the decathlon practice," he says. Then, without giving him a chance to show any kind of reaction, he ushers Peter and walks away, distancing the two of them from Flash, who is rooted on the spot with his eye fixed on the two Stark kids.

  
"Let me guess. Bully, right?" Harley asks as he leads Peter through the crowd.

  
"Yeah," Peter answers. "I forgot about him coming here. He bragged about it when he was accepted here. He did so more in front of me. He knew that I wanted to come here."

  
Harley scoffs.

  
"Asshole. I always got the feeling that he's trying to suck up to me. Probably because of Dad, no doubt."  
Peter nods.

  
"Yup. That's very likely."

  
"Well, the good thing is that he won't be able to treat you the way he did, now that you're a Stark yourself," Harley says smugly.

  
He has his arm around Peter's shoulders as he guides him to his homeroom. Only after reaching the destination does he let Peter go. Standing at the doorway, he gestures to Peter to go inside. Just then, he is interrupted by another boy.

  
"Hi, Harley," the boy says.

  
"Hey, Ned," Harley returns the greeting.

  
"What are you doing here? The sophomore classes are on the other side."

  
"Is this your homeroom?"

  
Ned nods his head. "Um-hmm."

  
Harley diverts his attention to Peter, who is quietly standing beside them.

  
"This is my brother, Peter," he says, gesturing with his hand at the said boy.

  
Ned looks at Peter and offers a smile and a wave of his hand.

  
"Hi," he says. "I'm Ned."

  
"Hey," Peter returns it.

  
"He's in this homeroom, too. So maybe you guys can have a chat and get to know each other," Harley says. "Peter might be joining us in the decathlon."

  
"Oh, really? Cool!" Ned says.

  
Peter turns to Harley.

  
"I haven't decided yet," he says. "And I can do all this by myself, thanks. I'm not a toddler that needs a babysitter or anything."

  
Harley waves him off.

  
"Yeah, yeah. I'm leaving now, you ungrateful ass," he says. He then looks at Ned and then Peter. "I'll see you later, then."

  
"Yeah, whatever, go away," Peter says dryly.

  
"Bye, Harley. See you!" Ned adds quite brightly. He then turns his attention to Peter. "You guys seem close."

  
"He just hovers a lot," Peter says. "You're going in right now, right?"

  
"Oh, right! Yeah," says Ned. He then enters the classroom, followed by Peter.

  
They choose their seats, sitting in a row back-to-back. As they put their respective backpacks and sit down, Ned gasps loudly and whips his head toward Peter.

  
"Wait, so if you're Harley's brother, then.... Are you Stark, too?"

  
Peter awkwardly and shyly answers. He wasn't lying when he said he is not used to it yet.

  
"Yeah, well... I have that name."

  
Ned looks at him with awe-filled eyes.

  
"Awesome! That is so cool!"

  
It is pure and innocent excitement that is glowing all over him. Without a moment of hesitation, he begins to pour questions after questions. Peter is a little overwhelmed by the overly enthusiastic fanboy attitude of his, but his friendly personality has the effect of relaxing him a little bit.

  
And the new school just starts to seem better than expected.

**Author's Note:**

> Always, thank you so much for reading my stories!
> 
> I had to stay away from this lovely community due to my life getting in the way and only just saw all the comments and support you've been showing me. I'm so grateful for all the positive reactions and the advice you give.
> 
> I'll try to get back with more stories -- this time, for sure.
> 
> Wherever you are, I hope you all stay safe and healthy!
> 
> Best, Lisa :)


End file.
